Lauren & Johnny
Things To Do
Sightseeing - *Jackson Square
This is the heart of the French Quarter with the famous St. Louis Cathedral, the Presbytere and Cabildo (Louisiana State Museums), shopping, local vendors selling arts and crafts on the street, Street performers, Tarot and Palm readers, or catch a horse-drawn carriage from here.
Sightseeing - *St. Charles Avenue
St. Charles Avenue is a thoroughfare in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. and the home of the St. Charles Streetcar Line. It is also famous for the dozens of mansions that adorn the tree-lined boulevard for much of the uptown section of the boulevard. I highly recommend taking the St. Charles Streetcar to ride down St. Charles Avenue and take in the sights.
Sightseeing - *St Charles Streetcar
This is a historic streetcar line in New Orleans, and could be the best tour you'll find in New Orleans. Lot's of great sights and stops along the way (Lee Circle, Garden District, Historical Mansions, Audubon Park and Zoo - recommend getting off for a stroll through the park, and ending at Camelia Grill for some good food)
Sightseeing - *Audubon Park
Almost became the sight of the wedding ceremony....it's a beautiful park, here's some spots I recommend you see: The Tree of Life, Newman Bandstand, & Oak Alley. You can ride the St. Charles Streetcar and get off right at the entrance on St. Charles Ave.
Sightseeing - Audubon Zoo
Located inside Audubon Park, The Audubon Zoo is part of the Audubon Nature Institute which also manages the Aquarium of the Americas. The zoo covers 58 acres and is home to 2,000 animals
Sightseeing - *Steamboat Natchez
Icon of New Orleans, cruise the Mississippi River while listening to Jazz music. They offer three different cruises, dinner jazz cruise, lunch jazz cruise, and Sunday brunch jazz cruise.
Sightseeing - Audubon Aquarium & Imax
Very close to everything downtown, right on the Mississippi River. Close to the Shops at Riverwalk. They have the aquarium and IMAX theatre here.
Sightseeing - Swamp Tour - Cajun Encounters
See the wildlife up close and personal as you explore narrow slews that only our 22-passenger boats are built to navigate. Get the chance to see alligators, raccoons, wild boar, exotic birds, turtles, and many more creatures that call the swamp home. Hear all about the Louisiana bayou as your captain tells you all about the different types of flora and fauna that surround you. There are other tour companies that offer swamp tours, so feel free to look into them. But I've been on a swamp tour with Cajun Encounters before and had a great time!
Sightseeing - *Plantation Tours
There's lot's of history with New Orleans and plantations. There are lot of plantations out there, but here are my top recommendations if you have a day you can maybe see all three, or if you have half a day you can see 1-2. Oak Alley Plantation - (the most iconic plantation in the South with the alley of Oak Trees that line the front yard) http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/plan-your-visit/hours-admission Houmas House - (gorgeous gardens and property) https://houmashouse.com/ Longue Vue House - (beautiful home and gardens) https://longuevue.com/
Sightseeing - Cemetery/Voodoo/Ghost Tours
Note - This is not a tour for everyone, but if you're looking for something different, then this might be it. New Orleans cemeteries are unique, since New Orleans is below sea level, we have to bury our dead above ground in stone crypts. With the elaborate architecture of the mausoleums and sculptures, the cemeteries have become a tourist destination and are often referred to as "Cities of the Dead". Voodoo is also a significant part of New Orleans' history and is linked with the cemeteries (St. Louis Cemetery #1 is the burial ground for "voodoo Queen" Marie Laveau): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/where/this-is-how-to-experience_b_5984866.html
Sightseeing - The National WWII Museum
The National WWII Museum, formerly known as the D-Day Museum, is a military history museum located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, on Andrew Higgins Drive between Camp Street and Magazine Street. For all of the history buffs out there, this museum is excellent!
Sightseeing - City Park
City Park, a 1,300-acre public park in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the 87th largest and 20th-most-visited urban public park in the United States. It has the Botanical Gardens, New Orleans Museum of Art and Sculpture Garden, and beautiful gardens, Oak trees and more!
Sightseeing - Bourbon Street
One of the most iconic streets in New Orleans. If you want to avoid the crazier characters and maybe more raucous crowds, then I would advise you go during the day, if you feel you must see Bourbon Street. In all honesty, it's just a dirty street with lots of tourists, alcohol/bars, beads, and occasional nudity. But there is a place on Bourbon (which is also in my list of recommendations) Cafe Beignet that I do highly recommend for music! And if you want to go to the alleged oldest building in the Unites States still in operation as a bar, then you should go to Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, it's also on Bourbon street at the corner of St. Philip Street: http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/Homepage.html
Shopping - *French Market
The French Market (flea market) includes five blocks of local produce, specialty art, handmade crafts, retail shopping, unique New Orleans fare, and more! Hours vary by vendor, but generally vendors are open from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Flea Market is open 365 days a year.
Shopping - Antique Shopping on Royal Street
New Orleans is known as the second largest port of entry for antiques into the United States, so it makes a lot of sense that there are a lot of antique stores here. Many of the French Quarter’s art and antique houses have remained within the same families for generations. The possessions of kings, Popes, Shahs, shamans, exorcists, presidents, cultural icons and the damned have been amongst vast array of art, artifacts and antiquities to have crossed the thresholds of the elegant showrooms lining this French Quarter route. If you plan to purchase anything, you might want to have a spare $20,000+ dollars on hand (everything is expensive) but it's beautiful furniture and unique pieces and at least worth a stroll. Royal street is parallel to Bourbon Street, and is basically the cleaner, prettier version of Bourbon Street.
Shopping - The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk
Located right along the Mississippi River, lot's of shopping and food. I recommend you stop by The Fudgery while they're making fudge, it's fun to watch and they pass out free samples!
Music - *Frenchmen Street
This 4 block stretch has great live music as well as the daily Frenchmen Art Market open from 7pm - 1am.
Music - Preservation Hall
The Preservation Hall is a musical venue in the French Quarter founded in 1961 to protect, preserve, and perpetuate Traditional New Orleans Jazz. Preservation Hall is open every night with concerts at 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm and sometimes 6pm, with the exception of certain holidays and special events.
Music/Eats - *Cafe Beignet
Live Jazz begins 8 a.m. Steamboat Willie Jazz Band: 6 p.m. – Closing nightly. I highly recommend Steamboat Willie Jazz Band! They have a wonderful outdoor courtyard and patio bar that is dedicated to the preservation of New Orleans Musical Culture. Food, Beignets, Drinks, & Music!
Eats - *Mother's Restaurant
Popular cafeteria-style joint drawing crowds with po' boys & down-home Southern fare since 1938. You can almost always expect to see a line out the door around lunch time.
Eats - *Cafe Du Monde
This is classic New Orleans fare, beignets and coffee!
Eats - *The Camellia Grill
This place is always packed, but it's great New Orleans fare. You can ride the St. Charles streetcar down to the end of the line and you'll be at The Camellia Grill. It's also very close to Audubon Park.
Eats - Mr. B's Bistro
Special-occasion spot serving modern, seasonal Louisiana fare in a refined, wood-paneled space.
Eats - Palace Café
Modern Creole cooking in an opulent, high-ceilinged room, plus sidewalk seating & people-watching on Canal Street.
Eats - Central Grocery and Deli
Home of the Original Muffuletta. Good place to grab a quick bite to eat on the way, of course only if you like Muffulettas.